Saturday, August 13, 2011

When Joey and I decided to tackle the subject of rape in cinema for an entire episode of our podcast, Moviesucktastic, we knew that were were treading into sensitive areas. Otherwise, we wouldn't have begun Episode #38 with the rather silly disclaimer that neither of us were actually "Pro-Rape," and were covering the subject matter of rape in a cinematic context because, with all due respect, there are a lot of films, including well respected ones (we're talking Oscar nods here) that broach the subject. So, yes, we were expecting the possibility of some push-back.

But we hadn't been expecting it so quickly. As a sort of companion piece to the show, we posted a list of films including rape scenes that we mention in the episode on our Moviesucktastic Lunch Community page, hosted by Lunch.com. We have partnered with Lunch.com as an easy way to both get our reviews out in written format and allow our listeners to share their own film choices and reviews with us and each other, and we have had nothing but positive things to say about Lunch.com as whole.

And we still have nothing but positive things to say about Lunch.com, even after they chose to take down our list because of a Lunch.com user's complaint. Hell, we understand. Even though the list in know way promoted or trivialized rape (at least, no more than the films we discussed did), it was sure to offend somebody just out of its very existence. If Joey and I were actually making any kind of money off of Moviesucktastic, we'd have probably played it safe and not done the episode at all.

So, no hard feelings. In fact, the only real issue I had with Lunch.com over their removal of the list was their claim that its censoring was due to "sexually explicit material," of which the list contained none whatsoever. However, my displeasure with that was fully expressed in the polite email I sent them in response, and as far as I'm concerned, that's the end of that. Lunch.com is still a groovy awesome site, and the Moviesucktastic Community will remain there as long as they'll have us.

So, just to ensure that the time and effort expending on the list isn't wasted, and to share with those note offended when the word "Rape" is mentioned in regards to the narrative properties of cinematic entertainment, I hereby re-post for your enjoyment and perusal:

The fourth Dirty Harry film, Clint Eastwood tracks down and ends up helping perpetual girlfriend and co-star Sondra Locke hunt down and exact vengeance I-Spit-On-Your-Grave-Style on the members of the biker gang that gang-raped her years ago.

Charles Bronson's wife and daughter are brutally raped during a home invasion featuring a surprisingly well-cast Jeff Goldblum in a Jughead hat. A film not to be found on New York City's tourism brochures.

Charlize Theron plays the titular lead character in this film based on the true story of Aileen Wuornos, the Daytona Beach prostitute that turned murdering her rapist johns into an entrepreneurial cash cow.

Funniest Rape Scene Ever. Even Hitchcock's cinematic genius could overcome the rigid restrictions of the film censorship of the era. Also features the un-funniest Rapist Wrestles With Corpse Of Victim In Potato Truck scene ever.

In a film featuring severed penis touch football, oxy-acetaline decapitation, hip-daggers carved from human femur bones and lots of melting homeless people, the humor surrounding the rape and murder of a crime boss' girlfriend is surprisingly one of the least offensive parts of this film. A great movie all around.

A late 80s Japanese horror film about a television news crew lured to a desolate location and brutally murdered one by one. Includes a baffling pillow-talk rape scene that takes place in the reporter's vehicle. There's that news van again.

Considering that this is based on a true story, it is very unsettling that the immediate response of the young southern men in the film to discovering that one of their friends is a girl in disguise is to rape him/her.

Friday, August 12, 2011

In response to a recent viewing of the instant cult-status film A Serbian Film, the Movie Guys (Joey and Scott) dedicated the bulk of Moviesucktastic Podcast Episode #38 to rape scenes in popular and underground cinema. What follows below is a list of the films they named and discussed, posted on Moviesucktastic's Lunch.com Community.

Image via WikipediaI'm done with movie reviews that feel the need to state/complain that a film "doesn't break new ground." How many films have you ever seen that actually "break new ground?" For that matter, when was the last time an Oscar-winning film was truly and unequivocally "ground breaking?" What ground is there even left to break? Critics who feel the need to state that no "new ground" has been "broken" are just grasping for a way to either knock a film they didn't like but can't effectively trash, or apologize for a positive review of a film that isn't quite up to art-house film-snob standards. You want to "break new ground?" Try reviewing a film on its own merits without trying to size up its overall importance when measured against the history of cinematic expression. A film isn't any less effective or entertaining just because it doesn't transcend modern cinematic principles or push the envelope on narrative structures. Let's leave this arrogant phrase on the heap with "Popcorn Movie" and "Guilty Pleasure."

Monday, August 8, 2011

Image by Andrei Z via FlickrEpisode #39 of Moviesucktasticis a cavalcade of random film reviews, as Joey and Scott do what they do best - ramble on incessantly about films they've recently scene. Among the films on their unplanned agenda are three films that have been regularly trashed by other film critics, but have somehow nestled their way into the hearts of The Movie Guys: Jake Gyllenhaal's time travel train ride Source Code, the ultra-low-budget alien apocalypse flick Skyline, and Nicolas "I'll Literally Do Anything" Cage's gritty comic-bookish car chase extravaganza Drive Angry. Thrill to amazement of listening to Joey and Scott talk about films they actually liked! You'll hardly believe your ears!

You can hear this uncharacteristically upbeat episode of Moviesucktastic on iTunes and Zune, or on Podcast Pickle, Podcast Pup and Pod Feed. If you are on the go, you can stream us on the fly directly onto your smart phone using the sweet-ass Stitcher App. And, as always, you can also download or listen to the show streaming at Moviesucktastic.com.

And while you're at it, be sure to drop us a voice mail on the newly acquired Moviesucktastic Hotline, 908-514-4470. Tell us how much you enjoyed the ending of Skyline. You know you want to.